Montague County, Texas

County Distress Index: Serious · 67.9 | 21,598 people · 77th most distressed in Texas
American Default Research

Behind on your mortgage or facing eviction? Take a 2-minute assessment to see your options.

Montague County, TX shows significant household financial distress with a score of 67.9 — 499th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where residents carry heavy debt burdens with elevated delinquency and collections rates. Within Texas, it ranks 77th of 254 counties. It scores higher than all 6 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Montague County's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 81.1 — worse than roughly 81% of U.S. counties.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 81.1
Debt in Collections 87
Medical Debt 99
Auto Loan Delinquency 68
Credit Card Delinquency 75
Uninsured Rate 91
Subprime Credit Population 76
Structural Poverty 61.0
Unemployment Rate 52
Poverty Rate 48
Income vs. State Median 50
Child Poverty Rate 48
Disability Rate 80
Transfer Income Dependency 80
Housing Cost Burden 59.2
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 50
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 89
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 39
Homeownership Rate 25
Economic Vitality 52.6
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 64
Rent-to-Income Ratio 49
Business Formation Rate 41
House Price Change (YoY) 29
Legal Distress 41.6
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 42

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Montague County
Montague County, TX 67.9 Serious —
Cooke County, TX 60.6 Elevated -7.3
Jack County, TX 59.7 Elevated -8.2
Jefferson County, OK 57.7 Elevated -10.2
Love County, OK 56.2 Elevated -11.7
Wise County, TX 54.0 Elevated -13.9
Clay County, TX 50.9 Elevated -17.0

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Montague County
Arkansas County, AR 67.9 Serious 0.0
Jackson County, KY 67.9 Serious -0.0
Pittsburg County, OK 67.9 Serious +0.0
Adams County, OH 67.9 Serious -0.0
Fayette County, IN 67.8 Serious -0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Montague County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Montague County

Find an Attorney

State Bar of Texas — Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

State Bar of Texas — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-252-9690

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Montague County residents at no cost.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid 1-888-988-9996
Lone Star Legal Aid 1-800-733-8394
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (888) 529-5277

Self-Help Resources

Texas State Law Library — Foreclosure Research Guide Comprehensive guide to Texas foreclosure law with links to statutes, forms, and practice guides.
TexasLawHelp.org Free legal information and self-help resources for low-income Texans.

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Texas →

Continue Reading

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Montague County, Texas?

    Montague County has a County Distress Index score of 67.9 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 499th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 77th in Texas out of 254 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Montague County?

    The primary driver of distress in Montague County is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 81.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does Montague County compare to neighboring counties?

    Montague County (67.9) can be compared to its 6 neighboring counties: Cooke County, TX (60.6); Jack County, TX (59.7); Jefferson County, OK (57.7).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Serious zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Montague County's score of 67.9 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Montague County's CDI score?

    Montague County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Montague County?

    Montague County, Texas has a population of approximately 21,598 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.